1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to product display shelves and particularly to product display trays detachably secured to the front panel of a product display case.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Product display trays that are detachably secured to the inside or the outside surface of the usually transparent viewing panel of an access door of a product display case have come into widespread use. Such display trays take advantage of the relatively large surface area created by the viewing panels of such access doors for displaying products at eye level where they are within easy reach of the consumer. The display trays are typically attached to the viewing panel using detachable fasteners such as suction cups. This arrangement is relatively effective for retaining the display tray on the viewing panel, even when subjected to inertial forces created when opening and closing the access door, and even while carrying the weight of products loaded on the tray.
One disadvantage of prior art display trays is that each display tray has a defined width which prevents making adjustments in the width of the tray to accommodate different product sizes. An associated problem is that, if less than the maximum number of products are loaded onto a display tray, the products on the tray may shift from side-to-side as the access door is opened and closed which may cause the products to fall off the tray, dislodge the tray from the access door, or at very least cause the products to present in a state of disarray.
Some prior art product display trays have attempted to address this problem by installing static dividers in the floor of the display tray. Another solution has been to scallop the horizontal back wall of the display tray to partially compartmentalize the tray. While useful innovations, each of these improvements provides a display tray that is useful for only one product size and cannot be adjusted to accommodate products of different sizes.
Another disadvantage of prior art display trays is that some employ a support wall located at an edge of the display shelf which may have advertising indicia that interferes with visibility of products in the display case. It is desirable in a detachable product display tray to minimize the profile of the tray in order to maximize visibility of the products being displayed in the tray and to minimize visual obstruction of products stocked in the display case.